How to Remove Red Wine Stains from Cloth?
Red wine stains are a challenge, especially if you are dealing with white or pale-colored clothing. It doesn’t matter if you are a wine amateur or aficionado, the occasional spills happen. Red wine is heavily pigmented, as it contains ‘chromogens’ and ‘tannins’, which act as natural dyes. In fact, if you have loads of spoiled red wine lying around, you could use it to dye a variety of fabrics. However, if you spilled some red on your favorite shirt or an expensive outfit, getting rid of the stain would be your only goal. Eliminating all traces of the wine is a difficult task, though nothing is impossible.
You can always ask a professional dry cleaner or laundry expert to make it happen; however, if that’s off the table, continue reading for some home tips. Let us discuss some easy and inexpensive ways to remove red wine stains from cloth.
1. Don’t let the Stain Sit
The sooner you initiate damage control, the better the chances of completely removing the red wine stains. If you let the stain sit for hours or overnight, washing it out is going to be one hell of a struggle. The longer you let the stain linger, the deeper the wine embeds into the clothing material. Therefore, the best course of action is to get started on the cleaning right away.
2. Dab with something Dry and Porous
The first thing you should do is to get your hands on something that can soak in the liquid. Dry paper towels will do the trick, as they are fairly absorbent. Do not scrub or apply too much pressure on the stained areas, as this could drive it into deeper layers of the fabric. The purpose of dabbing the stain is to remove excess moisture and stop the stain from spreading further. When you get home, you will have access to a greater range of cleaning materials. If the stain is still wet, get out of the garment and blot the affected area with baking soda, table salt, or talcum powder. Dry and powdered detergent or kitty litter works too. These substances have the ability to pull the stain out of the fabric, so they might just do the trick. However, if the wine has been given ample time to settle in, you may have to follow up with additional cleaning methods.
3. Dip in Boiling Water
Boil some water in a pan, shift it to a heat-resistant bowl, and dip the stained part of your garment in it. Let it stay for 10-15 minutes so that the hot water can dissolve the dried-up wine. Never use white wine to treat a red wine stain. White wine is not a cleaning agent; all it will do is dilute the wine soaked by the cloth and make the stain a shade or two lighter.
4. Applying an Acidic Agent
If remnants of the stain remain, try rinsing with white vinegar or soda. White vinegar is known to dissolve red and purple pigments, so this should work. Wash the cloth with normal washing detergent after treatment with vinegar or soda.
5. Hydrogen Peroxide and Dish-washing detergent
If the stained cloth is crisp white or a similar shade, it is possible that the stain still hasn’t fully washed out. Stains that were not immediately tended to can also have that kind of effect on clothing of pastel and neutral tones. Take equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and dish-washing liquid, make a solution of the two, and then use it to wash the red wine stain. This combination has bleaching properties and is quite effective against resilient stains.
Author Bio
John Adams is a paralegal and lifestyle blogger who concentrates on health/fitness, life hacks, personal injury law, and home improvement. He encourages readers to fight for their rights and overcome obstacles holding them back. He believes that every person can improve the quality of his/her life by thinking positively and making better choices.